Scripts

2. Script Types

2.5 The Gothic Scripts - Textualis

The progressive move away from the round Caroline forms and
towards angularity anticipated in the Protogothic period
arrived by the late 12th century to a set of scripts jointly
known as Gothic. This momentous period in the history of western
script saw both the establishment of a (rather strict)
hierarchy of styles according to the nature and purpose of the
book to be copied and the rediscovery of cursive styles for
documents (and books later in the period).

Bookhand (Textualis)

The Gothic period saw a neat separation between
bookhands and documentary hands unlike that seen in previous
phases. With regards to the former, the degree of angularity
featured in Protogothic hands was highlighted by heavily
compressing letterforms, thus emphasising height over width and
turning the characteristic Protogothic oval bowls into
lozenge-like shapes. Similarly, other characteristics already
present in the previous phase became more apparent. The almost
uniform addition of feet and serifs to minims, including those of
f and s; the fusion (or biting)
of facing bowls (such as d and
b when followed by e or
o), the use of uncial d, and
the return of the tironian nota instead of the ampersand
for et are found throughout the Gothic period.

In this clip Dr Erik Kwakkel (Leiden University) discusses biting
and fusion from the late Protogothic period.

The classification of Gothic bookhands (textualis) is
not an easy task and it frequently varies from commentator to
commentator. Even so, it is often agreed that there were four
grades of Gothic textualis which reflect both the treatment given
to the minims as well as the quality of the manuscript in
question.

Prescissa - Found in de-luxe items,
where the feet of minims end up in a horizontal break.